


I want to be that person

by unholy_obsessions



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Hale Deserves Nice Things, Derek Hale Loves Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Pining Stiles Stilinski, Protective Derek Hale, Protective Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski Loves Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski is Derek Hale's Anchor, Stiles Stilinski is a Nice Thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:35:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29409885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unholy_obsessions/pseuds/unholy_obsessions
Summary: “Oh you’re mad at me now?” Derek asks rhetorically. It’s unnecessary, Stiles notes, for him to be so worked up. He isn’t even that hurt, he’s definitely had worst injuries.“I don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal about this Derek,” Stiles replies, voice rising and arms flailing in frustration.“Because I love you!”
Relationships: Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 12
Kudos: 194





	I want to be that person

Stiles is tired. So tired that he is barely registering Derek’s words. He knows he’s yelling, but he can’t bring himself to care about what he’s saying. It’s always the same thing. After every fight and they go back to the loft in order to patch up Stiles’ inevitable wounds. 

So yes, Stiles is hurt, and all he wants to do is close his eyes and drift off. But Derek won’t let him, and despite his fatigue, Stiles doesn’t take well to being scolded. 

“You could have died Stiles!” He hears Derek exclaim once he zones back in. 

Stiles can’t help but roll his eyes, “And so could you and I don’t see you cowering in fear whenever there’s a new threat in town.” He tries to keep calm, making sure his heart rate isn’t giving away his rising anger. But of course Derek knows as soon as he does, damn chemosignals. 

“Oh you’re mad at me now?” Derek asks rhetorically. It’s unnecessary, Stiles notes, for him to be so worked up. He isn’t even that hurt, he’s definitely had worst injuries. 

“I don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal about this Derek,” Stiles replies, voice rising and arms flailing in frustration. 

“Because I love you!” The words are ripped out of his throat and the room goes quiet, the words echoing on the walls that have heard too much already. He didn’t expect to say those words, but it’s much too late to take them back and he realizes a second later that he is not sure he wants to. 

Derek turns away because he just put his heart out on display and he can’t bear to see what is surely going to be rejection written on Stiles’ face. 

Stiles doesn’t know how to respond. What is he meant to say when the man he has been pining after for years suddenly confesses his feelings. His legs start moving before he finds his voice and he stops himself when he’s standing in front of Derek. He brings a hand up to cup the wolf’s cheek, turning it slightly to make eye contact. 

“Der,” Stiles whispers and Derek’s eyes go soft, leaning into the touch and allowing himself to be fully immersed in the person in front of him. “I love you too.” 

It can’t have been that easy, Derek thinks. Nothing ever is, not for him. He’s about to spiral down into a series of self-deprecating thoughts when he feels Stiles’ lips on his and all caution flies out the window. Hands slipping around Stiles’ waist, he pulls the man closer, relishing in the warmth of his body. 

A small hiss brings him back to reality and he remembers the context of the situation. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” 

Stiles nods. He’s still in a bit of a daze as Derek grips his hand and leads him to the bathroom where the first aid kit is kept specifically for him. Stiles hops on the sink, legs dangling off the side and the heel of his shoes hit against the cabinets. Derek grabs the hem of his shirt and looks at Stiles, eyes asking for permission. When he gets a nod, he lifts the fabric over his head and inspects the claw marks. 

A feral omega’s work. Derek feels his anger rising again and is surprised that it is not directed at Stiles anymore. He feels a hand on his arm and looks back up, whiskey-colored eyes meeting his. 

“I’m okay,” Stiles tries to reassure him but Derek can’t make himself agree. The bleeding has stopped and now that he has a closer look, the cuts aren’t that deep, but his mind keeps flashing back to the moment it happened, and how terrified he was. 

_Derek is trapped. He should have stuck closer with Scott but it’s too late to debate what-ifs. He closes his eyes and focuses his hearing, cursing under his breath when he realizes the omega is only a few steps behind him. He presses himself closer to the tree, willing his already healing wounds to heal faster._

_Having lost focus, he is taken by surprise when the omega grabs him and throws him against another tree. His back hits the trunk with a loud crack and he groans loudly in pain. His vision blurs and he attempts to stand up, only to have the werewolf knock him down again. He awaits the strike of the claws when he sees him raise his arms but they never come. Looking back up he sees Stiles in front of him, acting like a shield between him and the omega._

_He opens his mouth, wanting to tell him to get out of the way but he’s too late as he sees the omega bring his arm down with a feral force, slashing open Stiles’ side. Anger fuels his next moves, pushing himself up on pure adrenaline and knocking the creature from its feet, landing one perfect punch that knocked him out._

“You shouldn’t have stood in front of me. You should have let me take the hit.” Derek says with a certain finality to his words that has Stiles shutting up for a second. 

“No,” He finally says. Derek quirks up an eyebrow, daring him to disagree again and Stiles does, never having been one to give into Derek’s warnings. “No, I will never let you take the hit.” 

Derek busies himself with disinfecting the wound, not wanting to dwell on the implication of his words. Which is stupid because they have both already stated their feelings for each other but Derek Hale never claimed to be emotionally intelligent. 

“Why?” Derek says once he is finished taping the bandages to the younger man’s skin. He hands him a zip-up hoodie that was thrown haphazardly on the bathroom floor and Stiles puts it on quickly, knowing that Derek is trying to divert the topic. 

“Because,” Stiles starts, pushing himself off the counter and getting all in Derek’s personal space, something Derek would normally complain about but now can’t help but want him even closer. “I hate seeing you hurt. I hate that you think you deserve it. I hate that you think that it should be you who puts his life down for the pack. It physically pains me to see you hurt and if I can do anything to stop it, then you best be damn sure that I will. No matter what.” 

Derek is sure he has stopped breathing, especially when Stiles steps even closer to him and whispers the next words almost directly against his lips. 

“Because Derek Hale, you deserve someone who cares and worries about you as much as you do for others. And, if you let me, I want to be that person.” 

Derek exhales and he moves his head to press his lips against Stiles’. It’s not a long kiss, and it’s not filled with passion and pent up emotion like the one before. It’s soft and sweet and so incredibly intimate that Stiles feels like his knees will buckle from underneath him.

Derek pulls away a second later and presses his forehead against Stiles’. “I’d like you to be that person too.” Stiles smiles widely and is about to lean back in but Derek’s voice stops him. “I’m sorry, for lashing out. I just-“ He cuts himself up and for once Stiles doesn’t try to fill in the silence, allowing Derek to gather his thoughts. 

“I know you’re not weak or fragile. You’re probably one of the strongest people I know, but every time that you throw yourself head first into danger I can’t help but remember that you’re _human_. And despite how strong you are, you won’t heal like I will and I don’t want to think about how one day you won’t get back up.” 

Stiles opens his mouth but closes it again once he realizes that he has nothing to say. So he grabs Derek’s hand and presses it against his chest, knowing that even though he is most likely listening to his heart constantly, it’s different than feeling it beat under his hand. 

Derek closes his eyes, allowing the even, always slightly faster, beat of Stiles’ heart anchor him to reality. 

“I’m here Der. And I’m okay. You won’t lose me.” Derek feels himself nodding at the words, the reassurance helping him breathe a little easier. 

“Stay?” Stiles notes the vulnerability in the single word. He understands that Derek is asking much more than for him to stay the night. He knows that he is putting himself out there, risking the crumbling of the walls he built so high around himself. 

“Always,” he responds, meaning it with every single fiber of his being. He sees Derek smile and realizes that the look of relief and pure unadulterated love on his face is worth everything in the world and he will do everything in his power to see that look everyday for the rest of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been dying to write a sterek fic and I finally had the time so here it is. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are very much appreciated :))


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